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May 22, 2014

Warm Pancetta Kale Salad from Be Well by Kelly

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Kale, Kale, Kale! It’s everywhere and we’re not complaining! We love this green of all greens and since it has made its way into juices, smoothies, and salads everywhere we better! Kelly from Be Well by Kelly always gives us the best recipes for both our taste buds and our health and this kale salad makes the favorites list! With just a few ingredients, we know you’ll be making (and craving!) this easy dish all the time!

Kelly says…

Believe the hype! Kale is chalk full of iron, calcium and vitamins A, K and C. This is a super-food you can easily add to your salads, smoothies, juices, and wraps. Two common gripes against kale are that it can taste bitter and that the fibrous leaf can be hard to digest. This Warm Pancetta Kale Salad recipe should help on both fronts. The warm dressing (which has a touch of honey) and pancetta will cut the bitterness with a sweet, salty crunch. And, sautéing the kale helps break down the fiber.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 ounces sliced pancetta, diced (or pastured bacon)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon raw honey

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (8-ounce) bunch of kale, stems discarded, leaves shredded

2-4 chopped hard-boiled eggs

1/4 cup chopped red onion

Directions:

Place the pancetta in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is golden and crispy.

Strain the pan drippings, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan with the crispy pancetta.

Add olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper to the pancetta pan and whisk until the honey dissolves.

Combine kale, eggs and red onion in a separate salad bowl.**

Add the pancetta to the salad, then toss while adding the warm dressing from the saucepan, little by little, until salad is well dressed.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

** If preferred, you can add the kale combination to the sauce pan at this point, and lightly sauté to further breakdown the fibrous kale. This will help make it less bitter and fibrous.